Locals wearing a face mask whilst driving a motorbike but no helmet.

[short-Timer]

3 hours ago, Cornish Pasty said:

Can anyone explain the rationale behind such an action?

 

I’ve already seen it 4 times this morning on the roads..

 

Mark.

 

Bob, mate, that’s just advanced Thai logic. You wouldn’t understand. The mask’s for sun protection, not for Covid or PM2.5. The helmet? That’s for noobs. You’ve not unlocked that level yet. Give it time. Soon you’ll see someone barefoot, shirtless, no helmet, kid riding on the shoulders, one hand holding grilled chicken, the other texting. It’s called precision balance, bruv.

[spidermike007]

One has to hope they were wearing face masks for the pollution and dust and not for covid prevention. Wearing a face mask on a motorbike to prevent covid is about as effective as wearing a turtleneck in January in the Alaskan Tundra. 

[Cornish Pasty]

6 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

One has to hope they were wearing face masks for the pollution and dust and not for covid prevention. Wearing a face mask on a motorbike to prevent covid is about as effective as wearing a turtleneck in January in the Alaskan Tundra. 

Absolutely bewildering Mike.

 

Mark.

[Jake44]

4 hours ago, Cornish Pasty said:

4 hours ago, Patong2021 said:

The vehicle fumes, dust, silica, insects and road debris that floats over the roads is pretty bad.  There are some days, when one has to wear the mask or else spend a few hours coughing and sneezing toxic dirt.

but why no helmet?

 

mark.

 

A helmet is much more uncomfortable, more difficult to carry and store than a face mask.  The benefits of a face mask are immediate and obvious each time you ride--you don't get so much dust and pollution in your lungs.   While a helmet only protects you from a very rare event.

[cdemundo]

5 hours ago, Cornish Pasty said:

Can anyone explain the rationale behind such an action?

 

I’ve already seen it 4 times this morning on the roads..

 

Mark.

Many of those riders are individuals who mind their own business.

[newbee2022]

6 hours ago, Cornish Pasty said:

Can anyone explain the rationale behind such an action?

 

I’ve already seen it 4 times this morning on the roads..

 

Mark.

If you don't want to be a fly- or other insect-collector.....a mask is useful

[Magictoad]

6 hours ago, Cornish Pasty said:

but why no helmet?

 

mark.

Money! They can't afford one. You buy one for them. That's four so far. Can you afford to buy four helmets?  These people are very poor. Don't you get it?

[blaze master]

I remember in the early 2000s how many I saw riding a scooter wifh a mask to protect against soot etc....

 

Ya no I dont because they weren't.

 

You could pull up video of bkk from the times before covid showing very little mask use at all.  Cue it was normal people saying how wide spread mask wearing was.

[papa al]

7 hours ago, fredwiggy said:

7 hours ago, MalcolmB said:

 

Tell that to the 45 that die daily on the road from mostly head injuries.

talking to a dead person is foolish, fool.

[fredwiggy]

4 minutes ago, papa al said:

talking to a dead person is foolish, fool.

It's a popular saying in America, so you might not have heard of it. It means you can't tell anything to anyone who's died, meaning they aren't around anymore to use a helmet to prevent their deaths, hence the sarcasm. 

[Cornish Pasty]

1 hour ago, Magictoad said:

Money! They can't afford one. You buy one for them. That's four so far. Can you afford to buy four helmets?  These people are very poor. Don't you get it?

One of the people in question has more money/land than I could ever dream of! I know who she is...

 

It's ignorance you fool. 

 

Don't you get it??

 

Mark.

[richard_smith237]

4 minutes ago, Cornish Pasty said:

1 hour ago, Magictoad said:

Money! They can't afford one. You buy one for them. That's four so far. Can you afford to buy four helmets?  These people are very poor. Don't you get it?

One of the people in question has more money/land than I could ever dream of! I know who she is...

 

It's ignorance you fool. 

 

Don't you get it??

 

Indeed - it is ignorance in teh form of a total disregard for both personal safety and the law. 

 

The two of the last three motorycles I purchased came with a helmet - not a brilliant one, but better than most we see being used.

 

The 'ignorance' has taken form of habit - its really just that simple. 

 

 

[fredwiggy]

1 hour ago, Magictoad said:

Money! They can't afford one. You buy one for them. That's four so far. Can you afford to buy four helmets?  These people are very poor. Don't you get it?

Like someone mentioned in another topic, they all have cell phones so affording something that's much more important and can save the life of a loved one should come first. 

[Cornish Pasty]

1 minute ago, fredwiggy said:

Like someone mentioned in another topic, they all have cell phones so affording something that's much more important and can save the life of a loved one should come first. 

Exactly.

 

Jeez, the sheer ignorance on this forum is beyond perplexing!

 

Mark. 

[Patong2021]

2 hours ago, blaze master said:

I remember in the early 2000s how many I saw riding a scooter wifh a mask to protect against soot etc....

 

Ya no I dont because they weren't.

 

You could pull up video of bkk from the times before covid showing very little mask use at all.  Cue it was normal people saying how wide spread mask wearing was.

 

In 1950 people did not wear seatbelts either. Many US doctors reportedly preferred to smoke Camel cigarettes too. 

Masks only started to be worn with some frequency in the decade prior to Covid and this was a reflection of their cost and availability. I was wearing a mask 10 years ago, courtesy of my friends who introduced me to the concept.  

[blaze master]

Just now, Patong2021 said:

 

In 1950 people did not wear seatbelts either. Many US doctors reportedly preferred to smoke Camel cigarettes too. 

Masks only started to be worn with some frequency in the decade prior to Covid and this was a reflection of their cost and availability. I was wearing a mask 10 years ago, courtesy of my friends who introduced me to the concept.  

 

Mask wearing was minimal vs population size prior to covid. As i said yes some people wore them but it was a small minority. 

[BangkokReady]

10 hours ago, Cornish Pasty said:

10 hours ago, Patong2021 said:

The vehicle fumes, dust, silica, insects and road debris that floats over the roads is pretty bad.  There are some days, when one has to wear the mask or else spend a few hours coughing and sneezing toxic dirt.

but why no helmet?

 

He has no idea.  He's just trying to rationalise something done by Thai people to defend them, with (very much his calling card) a little bonus dig at foreigners.  🤦‍♂️

[pub2022]

They're shy and prefer to hide their face.

[still kicking]

5 hours ago, Magictoad said:

Money! They can't afford one. You buy one for them. That's four so far. Can you afford to buy four helmets?  These people are very poor. Don't you get it?

Nonsense, my BIL has 3 phones, most of my in-laws have 2 

[JensenZ]

12 hours ago, Patong2021 said:

The vehicle fumes, dust, silica, insects and road debris that floats over the roads is pretty bad.  There are some days, when one has to wear the mask or else spend a few hours coughing and sneezing toxic dirt. This isn't about Covid, or some other  farang imagined  conspiracy. One wears a mask if one wants to breathe.

I've been riding motorcycles here for 20 years and never had a problem breathing, but I agree Thai people wear them to prevent inhaling dust, and it has nothing to do with COVID.

[papa al]

If you get killed in a wreck,

you are re-born again.

No biggie.

[sikishrory]

I would like add Locals wearing a face mask over mouth only whilst driving a motorbike but no helmet.

And

Wearing a mask whilst driving alone in car.

 

[Robert Smith 2]

Save Face,

Not Life...

[PB172111]

On 6/24/2025 at 10:50 AM, Cornish Pasty said:

so, why is it this way?

 

why don’t they listen to the helmet stats as closely as the listen to the covid ones?

 

it’s baffling to me.

 

Mark.

The same way as many of the tourists don’t wear a helmet in the Kingdom. They see someone else not wearing one so they follow the pattern. it is not just the Thai’s

[TexasCowboy]

No bug breath.

[chuang]

On 6/24/2025 at 11:50 AM, Cornish Pasty said:

but why no helmet?

 

mark.

Likewise farangs no insurance..

[NoshowJones]

On 6/24/2025 at 10:50 AM, Cornish Pasty said:

so, why is it this way?

 

why don’t they listen to the helmet stats as closely as the listen to the covid ones?

 

it’s baffling to me.

 

Mark.

LOS. Land of Stupidity. Typical Thai mentality.

[rwill]

On 6/24/2025 at 10:41 AM, Cornish Pasty said:

Can anyone explain the rationale behind such an action?

When approaching a police checkpoint they flip the mask to the top of their head to avoid a fine for no helmet.

[TTSIssues]

On 6/24/2025 at 4:49 AM, Patong2021 said:

The vehicle fumes, dust, silica, insects and road debris that floats over the roads is pretty bad.  There are some days, when one has to wear the mask or else spend a few hours coughing and sneezing toxic dirt. This isn't about Covid, or some other  farang imagined  conspiracy. One wears a mask if one wants to breathe.

not sure that’s the reason as I never saw it before Covid.

 

That may be a good reasons for westerners to wear one, but for Thais? 

[AgMech Cowboy]

On 6/24/2025 at 10:50 AM, Cornish Pasty said:

so, why is it this way?.....

 You've focused on the wrong opinion.  Patong2021's opinion/comment is more accurate.  Although the masks used are reported to not be any good against the PM2 air pollution, they do help to reduce the amount of dust and 'some' of that black smoke that comes from the 2 cycle motorcycle engines (and of course the diesel buses black smoke).  It has nothing to do with COVID19.

 

On 6/24/2025 at 10:49 AM, Patong2021 said:

The vehicle fumes, dust, silica, insects and road debris that floats over the roads is pretty bad.  There are some days, when one has to wear the mask or else spend a few hours coughing and sneezing toxic dirt. This isn't about Covid, or some other  farang imagined  conspiracy. One wears a mask if one wants to breathe.